Why ‘Mary Magdalene’ is the Hollywood film Christians have been waiting for

You’d be forgiven for feeling apprehensive about another Hollywood film dealing with Judeo/Christian themes.

Recent attempts to turn Bible stories into blockbusters have frustrated rather than thrilled those who hold these stories to be sacred. Remember the rock monsters in Darren Aronofsky’s Noah? I rest my case.

Many American Christians have decided Hollywood can’t be relied on to produce decent films with a Christian message (Hacksaw Ridge and The Passion of the Christ being the only notable exceptions over the past 15 years). So instead they’ve written and produced their own movies (God’s Not Dead, Fireproof, Risen). There’s clearly a place for these Christian films – but many of them have tended to be subpar when it comes to production values. They’ve also been accused of being more preachy than cinematic.

Is there a third way? Is it possible to produce a film which draws on the biblical story and remains faithful to it (no rock monsters) while also being well-acted, scripted and delivered? The release of Mary Magdalene this Easter suggests the answer is yes.